


touch

by lipsstainedbloodred



Series: these are the ways that i love you [3]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Gerry the cat, M/M, Post-Apocalypse, Scars, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:07:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21513508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lipsstainedbloodred/pseuds/lipsstainedbloodred
Summary: Martin wants to touch him, sometimes.Or, the fic where Martin touches Jon's scars.
Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan Sims
Series: these are the ways that i love you [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1553053
Comments: 13
Kudos: 368





	touch

Martin wants to touch him, sometimes. He knows that he’s allowed to now, that his touch would be welcome. That Jon might even look at him if he did. That he might even smile.

And it’s just Jon. Martin has no reason to worry, no reason to be unsure or afraid. It’s just Jon. Jon who loves cats, who hates spiders, who forgets to drink his tea because he’s too absorbed in a book.

It’s because of the scars, he thinks.

They all have their own scars after everything they’ve been through. Some of them physical, some of them not. It’s just…there’s something about Jon’s scars that make Martin want to touch. Jon is not fragile, but he is human, and Martin likes to be reminded of that. He thinks Jon needs to be reminded of it too.

That he’s human. That he’s not a monster. That he’s…just Jon.

“Martin? Are you alright?” Jon asks. He doesn’t have to ask. He could Know, if he wanted to, but he doesn’t. Martin likes that he asks.

He must have been staring. He doesn’t know how long he’s been stood in the doorway, tracing circle scars with his eyes. He wants to touch them.

“Martin?”

“I’m alright.”

“Okay,” Jon says. His fingers twitch, half buried in the white fur of their sleeping cat Gerry. “You would-“ he clears his throat, “You would tell me though, if you weren’t?”

Martin feels his face soften, his lips curving slowly and lazily into a reassuring smile. “Yes Jon, I would tell you. I was just…well, I suppose I was just thinking.”

“Ah,” Jon’s eyes crinkle with a smile, “dangerous, that.”

“Yes, very funny.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Jon sets aside his book. Shifts his place on the couch so Martin can sit beside him, ignoring Gerry’s noise of disapproval.

Martin hums and sits next to him. He likes the way they slot together, not quite perfect puzzle pieces. Something closer to broken pottery, a mosaic. Something that had to crack to be put back together. “I was just thinking that I’d like to touch you.”

“Oh?” Jon settles closer against his side. He’s solid, firm, the line of his thigh warm against Martin’s own.

Martin presses a kiss to the crown of his head. His hair smells like Martin’s shampoo that he likes to steal. He closes his eyes for a moment until he feels brave. “I want to touch your scars.”

“Oh.” This time it sounds like it’s been punched out of him. “That’s- Are you…sure?”

“Yes,” Martin says, “if it’s okay. Only if you’re comfortable with it.” He pulls back to look at Jon’s face, his eyebrows drawing together. “Is that weird?”

“No.” Jon says. It’s a little reassuring that he looks as out of his depth as Martin feels. “No it’s not weird. Just…can I ask why?”

“I like them,” Martin tangles his hand with Jon’s, rubs his thumb over old burn scars in little circles. “They’re…you, and I like you.”

Jon huffs out a breath, something almost like a laugh but not. He keeps his eyes down, staring where their hands are clasped together. “Okay.” He sounds a little strange, like his voice is about to crack in two, so Martin leans in to kiss the corner of his mouth.

Jon turns in toward him so they can kiss properly. Gerry slides off the couch at the movement, making annoyed noises as he seeks a different place to take a nap. Jon gives a proper laugh at that. Martin could kiss him for a hundred years like that, tasting laughter on his lips.

When his hands finally fall on the sides of Jon’s face he can feel him shiver. His fingers trace lightly over circular scars, drift over thin lines from battles Martin hasn’t yet been told about. “I love you.” He says and can feel the prickle of tears stinging at his eyes.

Jon turns his face into Martin’s hand and kisses his palm. “I love you too.”

“Oh,” Martin breathes. He dips his head down to kiss Jon’s neck, let his lips trace where his hands have been. Jon’s hands cling to his sweater and pull him closer, both of their breathing unsteady.

When he’s like this Jon is just a man, vulnerable and bleeding out emotion between them. Martin loves that, loves him, and can’t stop the tears from building in his eyes. _Thank you_ , he wants to say past the lump in his throat, _thank you thank you thank you_.

“You’re so alive.” Martin says instead, and there is no keeping the tremble out of his voice.

“Oh,” Jon whispers, “ _Oh_.”

Jon’s hands are on his face then, tugging him up for a wet kiss. They might both be crying but neither of them care. This is as human as it gets.


End file.
